If Hide and Seek
by IvyValentine1
Summary: Wendell smiled after he stood near his bedroom window.
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Batman TAS characters.

Wendell smiled after he stood near his bedroom window. His eyes were on Mr. Lewis as the latter approached the front door of his home. He ran from the window. It was time for the usual game of hide and seek. Wendell remembered playing the game ever since he was four. He saw a closet and ran into it. After shutting the door, his smile remained.

A game always caused Mr. Lewis to relax. He always smiled as he searched for his son. A game after a day of picking pockets. Stealing as many pretties as possible. Sometimes stealing bracelets. Perhaps a diamond necklace.

Mr. Lewis managed to steal one emerald bracelet that day. He opened the door and entered his home. His eyes were on his wife. One kiss for her.

Wendell tried not to laugh as he sat in darkness. It never bothered him. He figured he was always used to darkness. He imagined his father pretending that he had no idea where he was. A smile. Glancing at the ceiling. Wondering where the six-year-old boy was.

''I do wonder where Wendell is.''

Wendell continued to smile. His shoulders moved up and down at the same time as he tried to prevent a laugh.

''Are you under the bed, Wendell?'' Silence. ''I guess not.''

Wendell heard his father's footsteps near the closet door.

''Maybe Wendell is in here.''

The knob turned and eventually stopped.

''Maybe Wendell is under my bed this time?''

The door opened at a fast pace. Mr. Lewis smiled after he found Wendell. It remained after the latter wrapped his arms around him.

Mr. Lewis revealed the emerald bracelet. ''A pretty for the Lewis family. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes,'' he said.

Wendell looked forward to a new game of hide and seek.


	2. Chapter 2

Many years later, Wendell wiggled his fingers near a woman wearing a regular bracelet. One pretty for him. Although he no longer played hide and seek, that was fine. As long as he had lots and lots of pretties. Jewelry for a poverty-stricken man. Any jewel. Any fancy object.

Wendell smiled before he heard footsteps. After blinking twice, he looked back. His eyes became wide as soon as a scowling young man approached him.

''You'll never steal anything again,'' the man said to Wendell. He watched as the woman abandoned them. The man's eyes settled on Wendell another time. His scowl remained on his face.

Wendell stepped back with worry in his eyes. He turned and ran before the man pursued him. Wendell refused to imagine the physical consequences for trying to steal a bracelet. There weren't going to be mental images of cuts and bruises. There certainly weren't going to be actual cuts and bruises. Never!

Wendell saw a sewer lid and crouched by it. After it was moved to the side, he entered the sewer. Again, he never looked back.  
He saw a barren area and ran into it. His back was to the wall. Footsteps were getting closer. His body became tense.

Worry appeared in Wendell's eyes another time. A game of hide and seek he never wished to play. Not at all like the past games with his father.


	3. Chapter 3

Footsteps went by the area. Wendell began to slouch. A small smile formed on his face. He was safe. For now. He looked in the direction of the footsteps. He no longer heard them.

Wendell stepped out of the area. There was no desire to return to the streets. To return to other people willing to hurt him. Perhaps he was never going to return to the streets.

Water concealed most of Wendell's boots as he wandered. His eyes were wide another time as soon as he heard other footsteps behind him. New tormentors? Did he wish to look back?

Wendell heard other footsteps. After his body tensed another time, he looked back. He gasped as soon as he observed two children approaching him. Wendell saw dark clothes with green cloaks. Matching hoods. The wide eyes of the children. They tried to pick pockets?

Curiosity formed in Wendell's eyes before he followed the children. Another gasp as soon as he found himself in a new sewer area. Wide eyes were on many children as they exchanged jewelry with one another. He couldn't recall seeing them when he picked pockets. Wendell heard the children while they gasped and focused on him. They stepped back. He held up empty hands.

Two girls wrapped their arms around one another. A boy approached Wendell at a snail's pace.

''Were you shunned by society as well?''

Every kid nodded as tears appeared in their eyes.

It was the return of Wendell's scowl as soon as he remembered the man almost attacking him earlier. His eyes were on the children again. The corners of his mouth went up. Perhaps there was no need for him to return to the streets. Return to the ones hurting him. Shunning him from society.

There was a way for Wendell to obtain food and clothing. Many ways. Many ways in front of him.

''We'll become the Under-dwellers. Yes. Yes. Yes. We will. We will. I'll feed you. Clothe you. Discipline you. Reveal other ways to obtain lots and lots of pretties. I'll be your leader. Your Sewer King.''

A smile stretched from ear to ear.


	4. Chapter 4

A few days later, the Sewer King scowled and looked ahead. He stood in front of a throne. He remembered sending his children to obtain lots and lots of pretties for their king earlier. They never returned. Perhaps it was due to always working in darkness. Never having enough food.

Writhing in a light-filled chamber while being disciplined. Always freezing.

The Sewer King walked to one area. Perhaps a current game of hide and seek. The Sewer King began to smile. He was going to eventually find his children. Sooner or later. Perhaps.

The Sewer King's eyes were wide as soon as he remembered past games of hide and seek. A memory of a younger Wendell. A happy boy. A boy wrapping his arms around his happy father.

A rare smile formed. That was when the Sewer King remembered a man trying to attack him. The reason why he sent children to the streets.  
He glowered and trembled at the same time. The current game of hide and seek wasn't going to be fun for him. Not at all.

One girl ran out of a small space.

The Sewer King wondered if she fell asleep and opened her eyes due to hearing his footsteps. Perhaps. At least he found one of his children. Was it going to be one girl? Extra children? It was going to be fun to find out. Fun to view wide eyes and trembling forms. Maybe fun for him after all.

A young Wendell Lewis sometimes hid in a dark closet for fun and smiled. Children weren't going to smile in light-filled chambers for a few hours.

THE END


End file.
